Time-controlled electric switch



March 3, 1931f H. 'LLI'HAYNES 1,794,851

CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 18, 1928 2 SheetsSheet l March 3, 1931. H. L. HA NES 1,794,851

TIME CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed February 18, 1928.

The present invention relates to electric switches and to a timing mechanism whereby they can be actuated automatically at definite and variable intervals. 7

) One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved form of actuating mechanism capable of use with a snap switch or the like; which mechanism is clock-driven and bears a very simple mechanical rela- 19 tionship with the switch itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a housing comprising two separable halves; one of which halves contains the switch itself and all of its associated mechanism, conducting wires, etc.; the other of which halves contains all of the time-operated mechanism which actuates the switch at definite controllable intervals.

Another object of the invent-ion is so to construct the switch and the time-controlled mechanism associated therewith that it becomes possible to remove entirely the timecontrolled mechanism together with the portion of the housing that it occupies, and to replace it by another like mechanism also contained in a similar housing, for purposes of substitution or repair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a time-controlled mechanism that, while engaging the levers of a snap-switch, is otherwise entirely disconnected from the switch.

Other objects will appear in connection with the description and drawings which form part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the improved time-controlled element within its housing;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with part of the housing cut away to show the interengagement of the time-controlled mechanism with the switch;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the forward half of the housing showing the therein contained time-operated mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a front view of the switch 1n lts particular portion of the housing.

The entire device, made in accordance with the present invention, comprises two separable housings 10 and 11, so constructed as to Serial No. 255,213.

allow them to be attached to each other to form a complete unitary housing for both the time-controlled mechanism and the switch. As shown in the drawings housing 10 holds the time-mechanism, which may take the form of a clock, and will be so referred to hereinafter, and housing 11 holds the switch proper.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the housing 10 has a hinged door 12 at its forward side. This door is provided with a glass or other transparent window 13 through which the time indicating and control-indicating hands, dials, etc. are visible. Means for tightly closing the door 12, as for instance by a screw 14, are provided; and preferably a gasket of waterproof and dust proof material is placed between the door and the body of the housing 10 to prevent access of dust and moisture.

The housing 10 is slightly smaller than the housing 11 and fits into a rabbeted edge of the latter, as may be seen in Fig. 2, thus forming a tight joint 15 between the two housings. In order to fasten the housings together, the rearward housing 11 is provided with two forwardly projecting male screws 16 which extend almost to the forward interior surface of the housing 10. Suitable female screws 17, passing through openings in the front surface of housing 10, engage the screws 16, and serve to hold the two housings and their therein contained mechanism in proper relationship. The screws 17, having solid slotted heads,'effectively seal off the housing 10 against admis sion of dust and moisture.

It will thus be seen that the assembling of the two housings is an exceedingly simple operation, and consists merely in placing the housing 10 into the rabbeted edge of the housing 11, thereby properly centering the screws 16 with the holes through which the screws 17 pass, and thereupon inserting and tightening the screws 17.

Referring for the moment to Fig. 4:, which shows the rearward housing 11, this contains, fastened to its interior rear surface, a standard form of electrical snap-switch 21. Electrical conductors 22 connect the binding thus bridged will be closed.

tive to the conductors23, but off as regards conductors 24. In place of the button or knob usually found on snapswitches,there is provided a double lever -which iskeyedto the shaft 26 of the switch, so that on movingthe lever 25 the shaft 26 will be rotated; Ttis also to be understood that-there is the usual form of restraining spring within the switch so: that -the' same a will suddenly. and rapidly change its position when "the shaft'26 is turned about 40, whereuponthe' switch mechanism will operate andthrow the bridging. contact 27' across-the other set of contacts 24. All of this. construction is, however, well known in the art of snap-switch construction and need therefore not be minutely described.

Theone'essential difference in thepresent switch is t hat-the lever 25 replaces the ordinariyknobl This lever, by reason of its shape, makesit-possible to operate the switch by the controlling mechanism whose release is actuated bya: clock inthehousing' 10.

Fig: 3" shows'the housing lO'uvith the clock 3 O fastened t'o the interior thereof by screws 31 This clock may be of standard construction, and may be similar to an alarm clock. Two: sets of springs-32' and 33 inv said clock operate the time-mechanismv and the switchturningri mechani'sm, respectively. The switch-turning mechanism is. driven by the spring: 33, which through asuitable train of gears actuatesthe large gear34. On therelease of a trigger mechanismwithin the clock 30,.the gear 34 wilh turn in: the direction of the arrow thereon in: Fig. 3. The gear 34, however, also carries two projecting. lugs-35 (see both Figs. 2 and 3) rigidly fastened to 1 its surface and of sufiicient length to engage the arms of the'lev er'25 when thetwo housings are fitted together. As the gear rotates,

the Iugs35 will contact with the sides of the lever 25 and will urge thesame in a clockwise direction; WVhen thel'ever25 and the shaft 26 keyed thereto have been turned about 40, the spring within the: switch 21 will throw the lever/25 the balance of the that it is capable of moving, and thereupon the circuit The gear 34 however continues to revolve until the same has made a 90 turn, whereupon, by proper tripping mechanism in the clock, the gear will be brought to a stop. I

This motion will be repeated the next time the trigger mechanismin' the: clock is released.

The release of this trigger mechanism is ef- Y fec'ted by the contact of indicating hands 40 and 41 on the small dial 43 on the front side of the clock, (as shown in Fig. 1) witha projecting arm 42. The exact arrangement of this release mechanism is not shown, as it, also, may be of standard type as is well known in the art of constructing alarm clocks and the like.

The hands 41 and 40 can be moved to any point on the dial :43. This dial, togethen with the hands thereon, rotatesonce in} 24 -hours; while the regular hour hand 44 makes two revolutions in 24 hours; and the minute hand 45, 24revolutions. However, the minute and hour hands mayv beomitted, and are merely for the convenience of the person inspecting the. clock toseeif. it isshowing correct time.

The purpose of the two separate control hands 40 and-41 isto cause theswitch-turning mechanismtobe releasedt wice. in 24fhoursg.

switch. at predetermined intervals, and todo so automatically and without the necessity for personal supervision; If the clockbe made to'run along timewithout winding, oreven be electrically operated s0 as-to obviate any windingat all,.theswitch maybe.

operated for long: periods of; time at stated intervals'without.attentioni. However, if for any reason the clock mechanism becomes deranged,.or if it is desiredtoisubstitutetherefor a mechanism: operatingtheswitch at intervals different than those available with the particular clock mechanism in use, it suffices to release-thescrews 17' fromithe screws 16, and to replace the housing 1 0 with its. clock by another similar*housingcontaining a substitute clock ofthe same general type.

One applicationof the improved device provided by the; present invention is for the operation of electrically illuminated signs along outlying country'roads' and the like. These signs are usually, illuminated from a time slightly before darkness, sets in, and until shortly aftermidnight or eveniin some cases, all night long. The device herein described may be placed in circuit with the; lighting system that illuminates the sigma-11d if the hand 40 be set for, say, 6.- 1?.v M., the clock mechanism will release the switch-turning mechanism at that time, and illuminate the sign. If the hand 41 be set for say 5 A. M., the continued rotatory movement of the dial 43 which'turns withthe hand4l will eventually bring the hand 41 into contact with the release lever 42. whereupon the switch-turning mechanism will function again, this time turning oil the. illumination. Alternatively, this switch, while turning 0d the illumination, may simultaneously turn on the current for some moving device on the sign which it might be desired to operate during day-light hours.

5 The clock and switch mechanism, all being housed in an air and moisture proof container, may be placed out of doors and at any convenient place, as on the front or back of the sign, and will continue to operate as long as the clock is kept running. Inspection at stated intervals, to wind the clock and oil the mechanism, is all that is needed. If the inspector is also provided with additional clock mechanisms already secured in housings properly proportioned so as to fit the switchhousings, any defective clocks can be replaced with a minimum of time and effort.

The housings 10 and 11 may be made of metal, or of molded material, and the exact in methods of attaching the doors to the housing 10 are not important. Furthermore, the precise internal construction of the clock, the switch-turning mechanism, and the switch itself are also not important, and variations .1?) in such construction are to be considered as within the scope of the invention, which is to be construed in accordance with the hereunto appended claim, to wit:

A time-controlled switch construction com- 3-.) prising a housing, a snap switch operating member in said housing, rotatable step-bystep in the same direction to turn the switch on and ofl, a second housing, a time-controlled actuating member in said second housing, ro- 35 tatable step-by-step in the same direction, and means for securing said housings together and so positioning them that said actuating member will be coaxial with said operating member, said actuating member having a lost- -10 motion engagement with said operating member whereby said operating member may snap ahead of said actuating member to provide a snap action for the switch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HAROLD L. HAYNES. 

